Pulp beating and washing engine



Aug. 7, 1934. M. A. MILLS PULP BEATING AND WASHING ENGINE Original Filed Feb. 11, 1930 Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STAT S PULP SEATING AND WASHING ENGINE Melvin A. Mills, Lawrence, Mass., assignor to 7 Elizabeth M; ONeil, Watertown, N. Y.

Application'Febru-ary 11, 1930, Serial No. 427,572

' Renewed February 6, 1934 4 Claims. (o1. 92-24) This invention relates in general to paper mak ing-machinery and inparticular to pulp beating engines, and has for its general object to provide a pulp beating engine embodying an improved .5 combination and arrangement of features designed to reduce the amount of time required to thoroughly disintegrate or shred a given amount of pulpstock, and to reduce the amount of power required to effect the disintegrating or shredding 1 operation.- I 1 The invention has special reference to improvements in pulp beating engines of the type embodying a tub and means therein, in the form of a plurality of beater rolls, operating successively, to disintegrate or shred the pulp and to cause a circulation of the pulp within the tub, whereby all of the pulp is caused to be subjected to the action of the disintegrating means, and in this connection it is an importantobject of the invention toprovide, in association with each beater roll, means to substantially eliminate clogging,

or back. pressure of the pulp mass thereagainst. Also,.i n this connection, it is an object of, the invention to so arrange said rolls relative to one another that clearing of the pulp mass from certain of the'rolls is materially assisted by other of the rolls, thereby to provide, as heretofore stated, for rapid andthoroug-h disintegration of the pulp by the utilization of a relatively small amount power. v I

The invention also basin-view to provide for utilizing the advantagesof gravity to assist in circulating the pulp stock within the tub, and contemplates the employment of a succession of beater rolls designed to be drivenatdiilerent.

' rates of speedand to operate successively to more finely disintegrate the pulp, whereby reductionof a given mass of pulp stock to a desired disintegrated condition may be accomplished in a sin- 40 gle operation of a single machine. I

' With the foregoing and other purposes in view, the invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illus- 5 trated in the accompanying drawing and defined inthe appended claims. 4

Irrthe drawing, wherein like charactersof reference denote corresponding parts in the different views: I

5 Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pulp beating engine embodying the novel features of the present invention; and i 1 Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View therethrough. V c g Referringto the drawing in detail, lo designates a pulp tub of elongated form within which is. a central upstanding longitudinally extending feather or partition 11 which terminates short of the ends of the tub and thereby dividesthe tub into a single endless trough or passage 12 which extends contiguous to the sides and ends of the tub and consists essentially ofthe legs a, a, respectively, through which the pulp mass is adap ed to travel inopposite directions.

In accordance withthe invention the bottom 6 of the tub 10 preferably is inclined at alsuitable angle relative to the horizontal so that the major portion of the pulp mass in seeking its level tends to flow from the highest end of the trough 12- and to collect in the lowest end thereof.

Within one of the legs a of the trough 12, is arranged a plurality of beater rolls 13 of known. or of any suitable construction, each mounted on a horizontal, transverse shaft 14 journaled for rotation in suitable bearings 15. Said rolls are located at suitably spaced intervals longitudinally of the tub and, respectively, at different elevations, the lowest roll being located nearest to the lowest end of the tub and the highest roll nearest to. the highest end of the tub, the intermediate roll ,or rolls, as the case may be, preferably being disposed at an elevation higher than the lowest roll and lower than the highest roll.

In the present instance three beater rolls 13 are employed, the lowest roll preferably being of considerably larger diameter than the other rolls and the latter rolls being either of the same diameter or of different diameters as may be desired.

Disposed within the leg :1 of the passage 12 within which'are arrangedthebeater rolls 13 is a dam or stop structure designated generally as 16 over which the pulp stock must pass in its travel through said leg of said passage. Carried by this dam orstop structureiare knife devices 17 with which the knives of the beater rolls cooperate to disintegrate the pulp, there being, as shown, a knife device 17 individual to each-beater roll.

, Formed in the dam or stop structure 16 below each beater roll 13 is an arcuate depression 18, each of which, in conjunction with its related 10o beater roll, provides a relatively narrow channel 19 for the passage of the pulp material beneath the roll. 7 i I At the approach side of the lowest roll 13 the darn or stop structure 16 is inclinedupwardly, as indicated at 20, from the bottom of the tub 10 to the depression 18 below said roll, to facilitate feeding of the pulp mass into the first channel 19.

The topmost part ofthe inclined portion or 119 apron 20 preferably is disposed slightly above the bottom of the first depression 18 substantially as shown, while at the opposite or delivery side of the first roll 13 the surface of the depression 18 extends considerably above the topmost portion of the apron 20 and is merged, by a rounded surface 21, directed generally towards the intermediate roll 18, with a surface 22 the topmost portion of which is disposed in a horizontal plane passing preferably and approximately through the axis of the first roll 13.

From its topmost portion the surface 22 curves downwardly and towards the intermediate roll 13 and extends to and joins the surface of the related arcuate depression 18 at the approach side of said roll preferably in a plane considerably be low the axis of said roll. On the other hand, at the delivery side of the intermediate roll, the surface of the related arcuate depression 18 is merged, by a rounded surface 23 directed generally towards the'last or highest roll, with a surface 2%, the topmost portion of which is disposed considerably above the lowermost pcrtion'of the surface 23 preferably in a horizontal plane disposed substantially at or a little below the elevation of the axis of said intermediate roll.

' From its topmost portion, the surface 24 curves downwardly and towards the last or highest roll 13 and extends to and joins the surface of the arcuate depression 18 related to the highest'roll at the approach side of said roll'and in a plane preferably considerably below the axis of said roll. 0n the other hand, the surf-ace of the arcu ate depression 18 beneath said last roll extends, at the delivery side of said roll, considerably above the lowermost portion of the surface 24 to a peak 25 from which an inclined surface 26 slopes downwardly to the bottom of the tub 10.

Above the beater rolls 13 is arranged a hood 28 for cooperation with said rolls, and with the dam or stop structure previously described, to facilitate circulation of the pulp stock through the passage 12. This hood includes,'above each roll, an arcuate portion 29 more or less closely approaching its related roll atthe delivery side thereof and, at the opposite side thereof, merging into a lip so directed downwardly and inwardly towards the roll andterminating substantially in the medial horizontal plane thereof. 7 lip 30 associated with the last or highest roll 13 an arched portion 31 of the hood 28 extends to and is joined with the arcuate portion 29 associated with the intermediate'roll, and'from the lip 30 associated with the intermediate roll, a similar arched portion 32 of said hood extends to and is joined with the arcuate portion 29 associated with the first or lowest roll 13. In addition, an arched portion 33 of the hood preferably extends from the arcuate portion 29 associated with the last or highest roll 13 into overlying relation to a portion of the. downwardly sloping surface 26.

The beater rolls are adapted to be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 of the drawing whereby the pulp stock will be caused to circulate through the trough or passage 12 in the direction indicated-by the arrows in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Thus, with the rolls in motion and a quantity of pulp stock contained in the tub 10, it isrnanifest that the pulp will be carried by and with the first beater roll through the first channel 19 and be thrown by centrifugal force over the topmost portion of the surface 22 and against'the arched hood surface 32 from whence it will fall onto said surface 22and be directed by the latter towards the intermediate From the:

roll 13. Some of the pulp stock may, of course, adhere to the first beater roll and be carried by the latter past the forward end of the arcuate hood portion 29 above said roll. Such stock, if it is thrown off against said arcuate hood portion, will be directed by the lip 30 of said hood portion to?- Wards the roll, and because of its gravity imparted momentum will'readily be picked up by the roll and again directed through the channel 19 where, of course, it will be a second time subjected to the disintegrating action of the roll blades and the fixed blades 1'7. 7

By reason of the surface 22 sloping downwardly towards the intermediate roll 13 it is manifestthat asthe pulp stock passes over the highest part of said surface it will be directed by gravity towards the "intermediate roll and be prevented, from flowing back into the first channel 19. Thus,

the first channel 19 will be maintained practically free/of any excess accumulation of pulp stock and'the first roll will encounter minimum resistance to rotation, substantially the only power required for rotation of said roll being that necessary to elevate the'relatively small massof pulp contained in the related channel 19.

The dam and hood formations at the intermediate and the highest rolls being in substance the same as the corresponding formations atthe first roll, the foregoing operation is repeatedat-said intermediate and highest rolls, each roll thus be ing maintained practically free of any back pressure of the pulp mass and thereby being substantially freely rotatable as is manifest.

The rolls 13,may be individually driven orone' of them may be either directlyor indirectly driven and the others may be driven therefrom. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the first or lowest roll is directly driven by a motor 34 and the respective rolls are connected together by pulleys 35 and belts 36, whereby each roll is driven from said motor, the pulleys 35 preferably being of the cone type whereby the speed of the rolls may conveniently be varied relative to one another.

In this connection, to further'assist in maintaining the rollsfree of back pressure of the pulp mass,

each successive roll preferably is rotated at a slightlygreater rate of speed than-the roll-be- .hind and next adjacent thereto, fasregards the direction of circulation of the pulp mass, whereby the tendency of the intermediate and the highest rolls is to cause the pulp stock to pass through the channels 19 related to these rolls faster than pulp is supplied to said channels so that the intermediate roll assists in maintaining the channel of the lowest roll free of any excess accumulation of,

pulp, and the highest roll accomplishes-the same purpose with respectto the intermediate roll.

Obviously, if desired, the first or lowest roll 13' may be simply a paddling or pulp circulating roll and all disintegration of the pulp maybe accomplished by means of the other rolls. Preferably,

however, each roll is a beater roll and each successive roll isof a construction to 'more finely disintegrate the pulp stock than the roll' there behind, which, combinediwith the relatively high speed of the last roll and its consequent brushing as well as disintegrating action on the'pu'lp, eliminates the necessity of the pulpbeing treated ina second or so-called refining machine, the pulp,

. after it has been thoroughly beaten bymeans of the present engine, resemblingvery closely the: so-called and well known J ordaned stock.

While in the title and the foregoing descripe tion the present machine has been referred to as a Pulp beating engine, the sameobviously is capable of use as a washing engine for pulp, rags or the like either in the form shown or by placing ordinary cylinder washers in the leg a of the trough 12 opposite to the leg in which the beater rolls are located. Moreover, while the legs a, a of the trough 12 are shown in this instance disposed in side to side relation, it is manifest that, if desired, these legs may be disposed one above the,

other with the beater rolls located in the upper leg, in which event the dam or stop structure 16 may serve as a horizontal partition or so-called midfeather to separate the respective legs of the trough. Furthermore, by making the first roll 13 of sufficiently large diameter, the other rolls obviously may be disposed either entirely or in major part at least below the center of the first roll instead of above the center of said roll as herein shown. I

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pulp beating engine comprising a pulp tub having a circulating trough, a pair of spaced beater rolls disposed in said trough for successively beating and circulating the pulp, a dam member between the rolls, a hood over said rolls inclusive of an arcuate portion disposed above each roll, and an arched portion connecting the adjacent ends of said arcuate portions, said arched portion at its end adjacent to the receiving side of the roll last acting on the pulp being disposed closer to said dam member than theend of said arched portion which is disposed adjacent to the delivery side of the roll first acting on the pulp.

2. A pulp beating engine comprising a pulp tub having a trough, a pair of spaced beater rolls disposed in said trough for successively beating the pulp and circulating it through said trough, a dam member between the rolls, and a hood over the rolls inclusive of an arched portion overlying the space between the rolls and cooperating with said dam member to provide a throat extending from the delivery side of the roll first acting on the pulp to the receiving side of the roll last acting on the pulp and of progressively decreasing sectional areafrom said first mentioned roll to said second mentioned roll.

3. A pulp beating engine comprising a pulp tub having a trough, a pair of spaced beater rolls disposed in said trough for successively beating the pulp and circulating it through said trough, a dam member between the rolls, and a hood over the rolls inclusive of a substantially arcuate portion overlying each roll and an arched portion extending between the rolls and connecting said arcuate portions, each arcuate portion at the receiving side of its related roll being deflected inwardly toward said roll.

4. A pulp beating engine comprising a pulp tub having a trough, a pair of spaced beater .rolls disposed in said trough for successively beating the pulp and circulating it through said trough, a dam member between the rolls, and a hood over the rolls inclusive of a substantially arcuate portion overlying each roll and an arched portion extending between the rolls and connecting said arcuate portions, each arcuate portion at both the receiving and delivery'sides of its related roll being deflected inwardly. toward said roll. MELVIN A. MILLS. 

